Control of a transporter based on attitude
AssigneeDEKA Products Limited Partnership
InventorsDean Kamen, Richard Kurt Heinzmann, Robert R. Ambrogi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A transporter for transporting a load over a surface. The transporter includes a support platform for supporting the load. The support platform is characterized by a fore-aft axis, a lateral axis, and an orientation with respect to the surface, the orientation referred to as an attitude. At least one ground-contacting element is flexibly coupled to the support platform in such a manner that the attitude of the support platform is capable of variation. One or more ground-contacting elements are driven by a motorized drive arrangement. A sensor module generates a signal characterizing the attitude of the support platform. Based on the attitude, a controller commands the motorized drive arrangement.
Claims20
A transporter for transporting a load comprising:
- a plurality of support platforms;
- at least one ground contacting element coupled to the transporter;
- a motorized drive arrangement driving the at least one ground contacting element;
- and
- a controller commanding the motorized drive arrangement to apply a torque to the at least one ground contacting element based at least on a control algorithm, the control algorithm responding to least one sensor signal indicative of an attitude of one of the plurality of support platforms, the control algorithm being configured in real time.
A transporter comprising;
- a plurality of support platforms;
- at least one ground contacting element coupled to the plurality of support platforms;
- a motorized drive arrangement for driving the at least one ground contacting element;
- at least one sensor generating at least one sensor signal indicative of an attitude of one of the plurality of support platforms;
- and
- a controller commanding the motorized drive arrangement to apply a torque to one or more of the at least one ground contacting elements, the torque being based at least on a control algorithm, the control algorithm including the at least one sensor signal, the control algorithm being configured based at least on preferences of the user.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.